The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for in-reeling and paying out cable having protruding elements along its length susceptible to damage from forces associated with pulling the cable and layering the cable as it is conveyed, and more particularly to self-synchronizing winch apparatus and methods arranged to in-reel or pay-out cable without damaging protruding elements carried by the cable.
Normally, cable, of the type under consideration, extends for a predetermined length, and has protruding elements spaced along its length typically at equal intervals. Such elements may be electronic elements which are externally connected through conductors within the cable.
Further, these protruding elements are most conveniently attached to an outer portion of the cable, thereby extending the "radius" of the cable to produce a protrusion or "lump." The cable, thus structured, carries equally spaced lumps along its length.
To avoid damage to the lumps during in-reeling, the in-reeling procedure must operate to reel the cable in without producing damaging forces against the lumps. Similar considerations apply to cable payout.
In the prior art, winches have typically used nonuniformities in applying in-reeling force to a line such as a chain, or simply applied in-reeling force to uniform line, such as a rope, without regard to any position on the line. These approaches do not even address the problems encountered in in-reeling a line with lumps.